most hazardous walk to school

The world’s remotest school

Children in a remote part of China face a hazardous walk to school – because it is halfway up a sheer cliff.

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The school in Gulu village, Sichuan province, lies halfway up a mountain and climbing up from the base takes five hours.

The elementary school has only one teacher who has been there for 26 years, reports the West China City Daily.

Villagers say going to school is very dangerous for the children, since the path is only 1ft 4ins wide at the narrowest point and has a sheer drop on one side.

Walking along the narrow, zigzagging path also makes the children feel dizzy, they say.

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The school has five concrete buildings and a playground with a basketball hoop made of two wooden poles and a broken blackboard.

However, the children are allowed to only pat the balls, as if they throw them and they go over the edge of the cliff, it would take half a day to retrieve them.

Shen Qijun, 45, the teacher, has threatened to quit several times, but each time the villagers plead with him to stay as there would be nobody else to teach their children. …

Ananova

(via Dark Roasted Blend)

Check, too, their “Most Dangerous Roads in the World” Series.

beautiful Mt Sanqingshan, China

Mount Sanqingshan National Park was recently added to the World Heritage List.

The photos are beautiful.

… a unique array of forested, fantastically shaped granite pillars and peaks …

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larger original – flickr – Genek´s cards

It has some crazy cliffside pathways similar to those of Mount Hua (Hua Shan).

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larger original – flickr – Vincent H P Liu

more interesting Sanqingshan photos on flickr

Mount Sanqing (Chinese: 三清山; Pinyin: SānqÄ«ng Shān) or San Qing Mountain – Wikipedia

(via The Adventure Blog)

climbing Via Ferrata in 1 Minute – video

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

This is the Via Ferrata Peille, France.

There are many others:

A via ferrata (Italian for “iron road” … is a mountain route which is equipped with fixed cables, stemples, ladders, and bridges. The use of these allows otherwise isolated routes to be joined to create longer routes which are accessible to people with a wide range of climbing abilities. Walkers and climbers can follow via ferratas without needing to use their own ropes and belays, and without the risks associated with unprotected scrambling and climbing. They are found in a number of European countries, including Italy, Germany, France, Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland, Spain and Sweden; and a few places in the United States, Canada and England. The first via ferratas were built in the Dolomite mountain region of Italy during the First World War, to aid the movement of mountain infantry. …

Wikipedia

Chimney Pond Trail, Mt Katahdin, Maine

Aaron Doody points out our list of the best hikes in North America is missing Mount Katahdin, in Maine’s Baxter State Park.

He’s right. We’ve added it.

The hike up Katahdin, preferably via the Chimney Pond Trail, to Cathedral, and across the Knife’s Edge climbs one of the most prominent peaks (4,292 ft) in the Eastern US, and has been blessed with a glacial history that’s created several steep-walled cirques and the corresponding alpine lakes.

The fact that the peak is located in a north woods wilderness region adds to the allure, because access to services (such as the gift shop on top of Mount Washington) is non existent. A week long stay in Baxter Park, listening to the call of the loons (and buzzing of mosquito’s in the ear) will help anyone get back to nature.

Thanks Aaron.

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Knife’s Edge, Mount Katahdin

Katahdin – SummitPost says the summit is even higher: 5267ft / 1605m

Chimney Pond Trail – Katahdin Wiki

trip report – climbing Mt. Adams, Washington 2008

A die hard hiker, I consider mountaineering the pursuit of egotistic masochists. While climbers are suffering in their tents at base camp, hikers are enjoying every minute of their adventure far below.

So it was with some reluctance that I signed on with my Adventure Racing Team (The FARTs) on a volcano climb. My only previous experience in the Pacific Northwest was an unsuccessful attempt to scramble Mount St. Helens some 10yrs ago.

FARTs climb Mt. Adams, Washington

Our trip report was inked by Chief FART Evangelist Dave Adlard … who had not carried a backpack nor slept on the ground in many years:


Lisa, Morgen, Rick, Matt and Dave set out for Mt. Adams, which at 12, 272 feet, is the second highest peak in the Cascades, just behind Rainier. …

… Mt. Adams is notoriously windy and cold, but we lucked out with high temps, and essentially no wind on Saturday, and as we went to bed, the full moon was coming up — to quote Matt, it was an epic evening! …

just after 5:00 am, we headed toward the summit, some 3000 feet and 2 miles up. …

FARTs climb Mt. Adams, Washington

… Overall, it was a great weekend, and we learned a TON! We hope to join the Mountaineers ourselves and take several of the classes, so that we can attack Rainier and some of the other peaks next season. It is an addictive hobby, as there is something really special about reaching the top, with the great efforts required. It was also a heckuva workout! …

Dave Adlard – Funtastics Adventure Racing Team – — and so they pressed on

FARTs climb Mt. Adams, Washington

Dave’s right. It was a fantastic weekend. And I’m tempted to do more peaks. Especially Rainier.

Or … hopefully the urge will subside. And I’ll hike the Wonderland Trail around Rainier, instead. (I assume there must be a mountain called Rainiest, as well.)

And my favourite of Dave’s photos. A basecamp tent shot with rockwall behind.

FARTs climb Mt. Adams, Washington

The highlight of the trip for me was sledding down the mountain on our butts!

FARTs climb Mt. Adams, Washington

FARTs climb Mt. Adams, Washington

FARTs climb Mt. Adams, Washington

MORE photos.

climbing Mt. Adams this weekend

Looks pretty easy …

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larger original – flickr

Right? You think?

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larger original – flickr

… the second-highest mountain in the state of Washington, USA. Adams is a member of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, one of the arc’s largest volcanoes and is located in a remote wilderness approximately 31 miles (50 km) east of Mount St. Helens. …

Wikipedia

I assume my group is climbing to bring attention to “Global Warming”. Perhaps you haven’t heard of it.

There’s no way we would go way up there for FUN.

the top of Angel Falls, Venezuela

I’d love to get to the top of the world’s highest waterfall.

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original – flickr – Maurício Marques

Two teams at least have climbed the Rainbow Jambaia route up behind the Falls.

Far easier would be to hike up, rapel down.

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more photos of this adventure – flickr – Cathy Beloeil

Cathy did climb nearby Roraima (photos), as well, on that same trip.

Need additional incentive to book a flight to South America? See more wonderful Angel Fall photos on Dark Roasted Blend.

related: Roraima Lost World Trek information page

Return to the Outdoors

Timex is sponsoring a contest where you and I can share our stories about why we love the outdoors.

I like the concept: Return to the Outdoors. It flies in the face of statistics I keep hearing about decreasing numbers in the outdoors.

A couple of celebrities inspire:

Conrad Anker is a world renowned mountaineer, big wall climber, author, and conservationist. He shares a vivid memory of one of his earliest outdoor moments and why he is inspired to help conserve the wild places he loves.

Click PLAY or watch Conrad on YouTube:

Nice.

Steph Davis is an elite Big Wall climber, author, and conservationalist. She was the first woman to climb the Salathe Wall on El Capitain without equipment. Steph shares a story about one of the wild places she loves.

Click PLAY or watch Steph on YouTube:

Return to the Outdoors – official website

Conservation Alliance – official website

Thanks TIMEX.

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(via The Adventure Blog)

Related post: Banff Festival – Where are the Women?

best hikes in Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas

Every time I get to Lost Wages, I spend at least one day at Red Rock. It’s only a few miles from the strip to 197,000 acres of beautiful desert wilderness.

While most outdoors folk go for the bouldering, you can quickly access great hiking, as well.

Branch Whitney posted his favourite hikes there:

Easy Hikes

  • Calico Tank
  • Fern Canyon
  • Las Vegas Overlook
  • Moderate Hikes

  • Juniper Peak
  • Boot Boulder
  • Terrace Canyon
  • Advanced Hikes

  • Bridge Mtn via Ice Box Canyon
  • Mt. Wilson via Cleaver Crack
  • Rainbow Peak without the Ledges
  • It’s Prime Time for Red Rock Canyon! – Hiking Las Vegas blog

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    larger original

    That excellent website content is available to members only. But non-members can still read their blog in advance of a trip to Sin City.

    I am hoping to get there in April, myself.

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